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Porter is well supported in managerial debut

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Get to Know: Bo Porter 2:17

Astros manager Bo Porter lets fans see his personal side as he discusses family, food and fears

By Brian McTaggart
/
MLB.com |

HOUSTON -- Astros manager Bo Porter couldn't even begin to count the number of friends and family members he had at Minute Maid Park on Sunday night for his first game as a manager. The list did include his wife and son, mother and father, grandmother and some aunts and uncles from different parts of the country.

"No one can come to my house because it's full," he joked. "You'd have to find a nearby hotel."

Several of Porter's former football and baseball teammates at the University of Iowa were also in attendance, which came as a surprise to Porter.

"Some of them came in yesterday," he said. "You always feel honored when you have special people that are part of your life and have been part of your life for a long time, and to have them come out and support you, it makes you feel good."

Porter said he put his wife, Stacey, in charge of making sure everyone had tickets and was where they needed to be, but not before throwing her a surprise birthday party Saturday night. Her birthday is next Friday.

"The number of people we have here, I pretty much could not even tell you because I let my wife handle it," Porter said. "I just put it on her and said, 'I don't want to deal with it.' She'll make sure everyone comes to the game and has a good time."

One person close to Porter who couldn't make it was his former football coach at Iowa, Hayden Fry. Porter had hoped to have him at Minute Maid Park.

"He's still dealing with some health issues and the travel would have been a bit much for him," Porter said. "I talked to him this morning and he sends his well-wishes, and he's here in spirit."